A message from Pastor Carol – Blessing of the Animals Service 8/21/11

It’s good to be back among you, after my sabbatical time away. I look forward to reconnecting with you, as we serve together in Pilgrim shared ministry and in our wider community and world.

And our world is filled with God’s creatures. This Sunday, August 21, is our annual Blessing of the Animals service. We gather at 9:30 am for our outdoor service on the blacktop on Prior Avenue, beside our church building. All pets and people are welcome!

Jonathan Rundman, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and leader of worship throughout the ELCA, will be helping to lead our music on Sunday.

This year, this invitation to the Blessing of the Animals service comes with two additions: If you have a pet who can’t make it to the worship service, because they might be too scared around the other animals or people, or can’t be present with us for some other reason, please feel welcome to bring a photo of your pet, and we will declare God’s blessing of your pet, even though they can’t be present that day. Also, if you have a pet who has died, we invite you to bring a photo of them, and we will offer a prayer of thanksgiving for them during our time of blessing.

And don’t forget that a potluck picnic follows Sunday’s service. You are invited to bring a dish to share and, if you can, your own plate, utensils, cup, and napkin, but we will also have some of those for you to use, if needed. We give thanks for the Congregational Life and Care Committee, that is hosting our picnic.